Short Summary

United States and North Vietnamese delegates resumed peace negotiations in Paris on Tuesday (2 January) as American envoy Dr.

Description

United States and North Vietnamese delegates resumed peace negotiations in Paris on Tuesday (2 January) as American envoy Dr. Henry Kissinger had talks in Washington with President Nixon.

The two delegations spent four hours in technical-level talks, renewing contact between the two sides after a 10-day break marked by heavy U.S. bombing of North Vietnam.

The technical discussions were reported to be concerned with drawing up of protocols to implement a basic Vietnam peace accord.

At the end of the four hours, the two teams agreed to meet again four further talks.

The talks came in advance of major discussions Dr. Kissinger will have with the Hanoi emissary Le Due Tho starting next week.

In Washington, the White House is reported to be increasingly optimistic that a ceasefire agreement will emerge from the forthcoming talks.

SYNOPSIS: In Choisy le Roi, a suburb of Paris, a new meeting begins between representatives of the United States and North Vietnam. The two delegations spent four hours in technical level talks, reported to be concerned with the drawing up of protocols to implement a basic Vietnam peace accord. The last meeting between technical experts from the two sides was held on December the twenty-third, when the North Vietnamese read out on angry statement criticising United States bombing raids on Hanoi and Haiphong. The Hanoi delegates then walked out of the meeting.

The United States delegation arrives for the talks, which came at the same time as American envoy Doctor Henry Kissinger was in Washington for discussions with President Nixon. Doctor Kissinger is due to have major talks with North Vietnamese emissary Le Duc The next week. In Washington, the White House is reported to be increasingly optimistic that a ceasefire agreement will emerge from the forthcoming talks. After Tuesday's four-hour meeting, the two technical teams agreed to meet again next day four further discussions.